95 Siege Battery War Diary

[BGS]

I am researching Lieutenant Leslie Stuart Priestley who was commissioned into the RGA from 2/28 London Regt on 18.3.1917; he went to France 29.8.1917 when he was posted to 95 Siege Battery, 90 Brigade RGA from December 1917. It is believed (by his nephews) that he took some of the photos included in Captain Arthur F Behrends 'Nine Days. Adventures of a Heavy Artillery Brigade of the Third Army during the German Offensive of March 21-29 1918.'

In 1918, from 26 June to 15 July he was attached to IV Corps Counter Battery, and 13.October-3 November to 90 Brigade HQ.

 

Can anyone help me find war diaries for the battery or the brigade please? I have drawn a blank using The National Archives online catalogue.

 

Priestley was a talented mathematician. He had a dose of gas in 1918 (although no hospital visit is recorded on his 'Casualty Form - Active Service'), and after demobilization took up his place to read Maths at Worcester College Oxford. He was a keen rower at Oxford and for Bradford Amateur Rowing Club. After Oxford he joined the Civil Service (Aircraft - Meteorological Section) stationed at Shoeburyness. His lungs gave out in 1922, which was attributed to the poison gas he had inhaled.

[Ron Clifton]

Hello BGS

 

WO 95/397 90 Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery 1917 Apr. - 1919 May  

It can be downloaded from the Kew website, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk for about £3.50. You will need to add a suffix such as /1, /2 etc as there are several diaries in that file. It is not available on Ancestry.

 

War Diaries rarely mention individuals by name other than officers, but numbers of casualties each day are nearly always given, and the location of the unit, with a short description of its activities, is given on each day.

 

Good hunting!

 

Ron

[BGS]

Great stuff. Thanks very much for this assistance.

[derekspiers]

My Grandfather, Robert Wellsted served in 95th SB from May 1916 to the armistice.  As he was a Sergeant it is likely he knew Lt. Priestley directly. I have all the HAG diaries for 95th SB but it is a pity that there were no Diaries for the Battery itself. I would be interested to hear if you have any background information on the 95th which is additional to the War Diary or Behrends book. Thanks.